aftercare

Second Skin Bandage Aftercare

  • Keep the initial bandage on for three days following your appointment. (An ‘ink sack’ developing is normal! Please avoid messing with it and allow it to do its thing!)

    Remove the bandage by placing it under running water, and stretching the bandage off of your skin (kind of like a waterproof band-aid).

    Wash the tattoo with a gentle, unscented soap.

    Pat dry with something clean and disposable; like a paper towel or sheet of gauze.

    Moisturize with a gentle, unscented lotion sparingly.

    Wash and moisturize the tattoo once a day until it feels settled in.

  • Remove it under running water, stretching it off after 24 hours.

    Once the bandage is removed, wash your tattoo with a gentle, unscented soap.

    Pat the area dry with something clean and disposable; like a paper towel or a sheet of gauze.

    With clean hands, reapply the new bandage ensuring to cover the entirety of the tattoo.

    Leave the new bandage on for up to 1 week.

    Remove the bandage, wash, and then moisturize it with a gentle, unscented lotion.

    Wash and moisturize daily until it feels settled in.

Traditional Aftercare

  • Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your tattoo


    Remove the supplied bandage after a minimum of 3 hours, once you’ll be somewhere for the rest of the day/night. (NO LONGER THAN 12 hrs)


    Once bandage is removed, gently wash the tattoo with a gentle, unscented soap.


    Pat dry with a paper towel and apply a very thin layer of ointment.

    For the first 3-5 days, wash and moisturize with an ointment once a day.


    After the first 3-5 days, swap to a gentle unscented lotion, continuing to wash and moisturize once a day until your tattoo feels well settled in.

Additional Notes;

  • Typically a tattoo takes between 2-4 weeks to be fully healed. This differs person to person, and can take longer.

  • Flaking, peeling, and scabbing are all normal parts of the healing process. Please don’t pick at or peel any flaking or scabbing skin.

  • Keep in mind this is a large, open wound on your skin! Avoid anything near it that doesn’t belong in a healing wound. (pets, children fingers, abrasives, dirt, etc)

  • Please avoid soaking or submerging your tattoo in any standing bodies of water while it is healing. (bath, ocean, river, lake, swimming pool, hot tub, dish water, etc)

  • While I love the sunshine as much as the next guy, I have to strongly recommend avoiding any direct sunshine on your tattoo while it’s healing. After you’re well healed, I always recommend a sunscreen with 20% zinc oxide as an active ingredient, with a minimum of 50 SPF, applying per the instructions to protect it if your tattoo cannot be covered.